Coppa Italia Primavera, Atalanta 3-5 Juventus on penalties
Lonardo featuring the scoreboard for the Nerazzurri
Atalanta’s run in the 2024-2025 Coppa Italia Primavera came to a halt in the quarter-finals as Juventus imposed themselves on penalties at the Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia.
The first half was an evenly balanced affair with neither side able to break the deadlock. While Armstrong went close to giving Atalanta the lead with a header in the opening minutes and Lonardo went close from close range on 17 minutes, the visitors threatened through Finocchiario on 10 minutes and Biliboc on the half-hour mark. Despite the best efforts of both teams to break the deadlock, the first 45 minutes ended 0-0 in Zingonia.
In the second half, the visitors broke the deadlock first with Biliboc's close-range header on 66 minutes. Nonetheless, the Nerazzurri spared no time and got back in contention in a wink, pulling the scores levelled with Lonardo in the 70th: after a brilliant sortie by Bonanomi down the left, the Atalanta striker slotted in a point-blank equalizer. As the match finished all square at 1-1 at the end of regulation time, the tie was thus decided by a penalty shootout, with the visitors running out winners in the end.
ATALANTA 3-5 JUVENTUS after penalty shootout (1-1 at full time)
Scorers: Biliboc 66 (J), Lonardo 70 (A).
Penalty shootout: Simonetto (A) goal, Lopez (J) goal, Bonanomi (A) missed, Biliboc (J) goal, Lonardo (A) saved, Pagnucco (J) goal, Armstrong (A) goal, Vacca (J) goal.
Atalanta: Zanchi, Simonetto, Tavanti (Gobbo 81), Baldo (Steffanoni 59), Armstrong, Bonsignori Goggi (Bonanomi 46), Arrigoni (Damiano 59), Ramaj, Idele, Manzoni (Gariani 81), Lonardo. Unused bench: Bugli, Ghezzi, Capac, Isoa, Mensah, Camara. Coach: Giovanni Bosi.
Juventus: Zelezny, Nisci (Pagnucco 90), Martinez, Boufandar (Mazur 90), Ripani, Crapisto (Keutgen 76), Pugno (Lopez 76), Verde, Biliboc, Finocchiaro (Vacca 90), Savio. Unused bench: Radu, Ventre, Sosna, Rizzo, Ngana, Merola. Coach: Francesco Magnanelli.
Referee: Francesco Burlando from Genoa (assistant referees: Emanuele Renzullo from Torre del Greco and Cosimo Schirinzi from Casarano).
Note: Bosi (A) sent off, Idele (A), Nisci (J), Savio (J), Armstrong (A) and Simonetto (A) booked.
Featuring the cover picture Idele